Roper - you're in the well

g'em · 11-02-2009 10:25am #1

Roper can you just introduce yourself briefly - I presume you're still running KO Martial Arts but you've mentioned training people for Ironman comps, are you running a PT service now too?

You're not shy of giving your opinion on the board but in the years that you've been teaching/ training is there anything that you've completely flipped your opinion on or had a major shift of thinking about? If so, why?

Transform · 11-02-2009 11:27am

Good questions gem and as an extension of those

1. How long have you been training clients one to one

2. Toughest workout you have done or teach

3. Pics pics pics - come on get the goods out!

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 11-02-2009 11:50am

Hey Roper, I AFAIK you're training for a fight so feel free not to answer any of the following if you want to keep your routine schtum.

1) What is a typical week like training for you?

2) What is your MMA record like?

3) How do you combine weights / strenght training with your MMA? I.e. my squat routine for the week can go out the window if I get a bad leg kick sparring. Do you have to change up your routine every week to deal minor injuries like this?

I'm sure there's more but that'll do for now.

Khannie · 11-02-2009 12:03pm

How did you find the shift to full time affected you?
Would you do it again?
You mentioned in another thread that you think there are 3 supplements you think people who train regularly should use: whey, creatine and glutamine (iirc). Creatine adds weight and that's not great for fighters. Do you think its benefit outweighs this cost?
edit: what weight do you fight at?

Killme00 · 11-02-2009 12:54pm

Is there an ideal balance between the following when it comes to mma
a) strength and cardio
b) striking and grappling

Whats the weakest part of your game?

Whats the hardest part of training for you?

In terms of your own martial arts career and training, whats your proudest moment?

In terms of coaching, what is your proudest moment?

Whats the best piece of advise you've ever received?

You train kids, how do you keep your sanity?

If you were a contestant on deal or no deal with four boxes left (€1, €5,€10000 and €75000). If the banker offered you €25000, would you deal or no deal?

Roper · 11-02-2009 2:44pm

I can see this thread descending fast. I know this because I'm inherently involved from the off. I thnk everyone else replied to each question sperately so I'll try to do the same but if I miss a post remind me.

g'em wrote: »

Roper can you just introduce yourself briefly - I presume you're still running KO Martial Arts but you've mentioned training people for Ironman comps, are you running a PT service now too?

Okay, names Barry Oglesby, not Roper as some people think. I am actually a real person. I run KO Martial Arts. Variously, I've boxed, kickboxed, grappled and fought in a variety of things since I was about 14 with some breaks. I've also played football (the proper kind) a bit of soccer and I used to run cross country in school. I've been coaching for 6 years the last 3 as a professional.

I do now do PT, but not as any business really. It sort of happened by accident. Some people started asking about privates in martial arts, I did a few of those, some other people started asking about getting fitter for football, I did a bit of that, and then people started coming to me for all sorts of advice ad I just can't keep my opinions to myself so I gave it. Some liked it, they told their friends, who told their friends, who told their friends. I still don't like to work too much to be honest and I've turned down a fair bit of private work on account of the fact that the person sounded like an ass or I took one or two sessions with them and realised they weren't committed so I gave them someone elses card. It's not that I'm minted I just have lots of other things to do and I like my work to be enjoyable.

You're not shy of giving your opinion on the board but in the years that you've been teaching/ training is there anything that you've completely flipped your opinion on or had a major shift of thinking about? If so, why?

Yup there's a load of stuff. I think that the one that relates most to this board is strength training for sports. Like a lot of people who come from boxing/martial arts circles I had a religious attachment to roadwork and light weights and "weights slow you down". I didn't have an epiphany or anything I just watched Athens 04 and thought of how much it would suck to fight a sprinter. Thereafter I went away to go learn how to do stuff better.

Roper · 11-02-2009 2:51pm

Transform wrote: »

Good questions gem and as an extension of those

1. How long have you been training clients one to one

Okay really should have looked before replying to G'em! About 2 years on and off, and only seriously, as in telling people I do it in the last 6 months.:)

2. Toughest workout you have done or teach

I'd have to say sprint intervals on the rower for the first bit. And I do some mean things to my guys who are fighting but a lot of them are secret

3. Pics pics pics - come on get the goods out!

I actually don't think I've any pics of me, well, ones that would go with the topic... I'll hunt some of me fighting out. I know there's one of me with my opponent's hand raised...:P

cowzerp · 11-02-2009 2:56pm

Roper wrote: »

I know there's one of me with my opponent's hand raised...:P

Dont do it man, have some dignity!

BobbyOLeary · 11-02-2009 2:57pm

I don't have a real question but I like to take part, where did the name "Roper" come from?

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:01pm

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

Hey Roper, I AFAIK you're training for a fight so feel free not to answer any of the following if you want to keep your routine schtum.

No problem, I doubt my opponent will be worrying too much about what I'm doing!

1) What is a typical week like training for you?

Monday evening 90 mins grappling
Tuesday morning 90 mins strength
Tuesday evening 90mins MMA technique and light sparring
Wednesday morning 60 mins Muay Thai, sometimes weds evening muay Thai sparring
Thursday morning 90mins strength and conditioning
Thursday evening 90 mins grappling
Friday morning 90mins recovery session or strength session
Saturday morning 60 mins conditioning, 60 mins MMA sparring.

2) What is your MMA record like?

Average/poor. I'm 1-1. [moan]I've had my injury problems, this is actually the longest period I've been training in two years[/moan] but I intend to have a good few fights this year to make up for lost time and then call it a day.

3) How do you combine weights / strenght training with your MMA? I.e. my squat routine for the week can go out the window if I get a bad leg kick sparring. Do you have to change up your routine every week to deal minor injuries like this?

Yes but not often. I did the same as you about two weeks ago and wasn't able to lunge/squat for a day or two but I just subbed in something I could do. I train quite smart, injuries have made it neccessary to do so. These days I only really have 8 or so heavy rounds a week. I don't really roll with giants who want to squeeze my neck anymore and I'll only spar with people I trust.

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:08pm

Khannie wrote: »

How did you find the shift to full time affected you?

A bit less work for a lot less money

Would you do it again?

In a heartbeat. It's the best thing I ever did for my sanity, my happiness and I spend loads of time with the boy. I had a pretty decent job that I didn't enjoy, I was part time studying, part time coaching, full time working and about to become a very, very part time Da if I didn't take action so I made the decision to make a go of the coaching.

You mentioned in another thread that you think there are 3 supplements you think people who train regularly should use: whey, creatine and glutamine (iirc). Creatine adds weight and that's not great for fighters. Do you think its benefit outweighs this cost?
edit: what weight do you fight at?

Creatine doesn't add weight, calories add weight and although there is some water retention, I think it's manageable as long as it doesn't affect weigh ins. I just think it's good for recovery. As you can see above I do a lot of sessions and there's only really two factors I have to think about, rest and recovery. I fight at welter 77kgs although after a rush of blood to the head I fought at 84kgs in my last fight. Lotsa whey that time

Dubdude · 11-02-2009 3:11pm

Roper if you could choose 1 fighter past / present you could step into the ring with who would you choose and why???

celestial · 11-02-2009 3:24pm

Dubdude wrote: »

Roper if you could choose 1 fighter past / present you could step into the ring with who would you choose and why???

Silly question - Markus Ruhl !!!

kerinsp · 11-02-2009 3:25pm

Roper, whats your favourite Europe song?

I don't really roll with giants

HA! I saw giant Andy on your back the other night trying to get the RNC. Fair dues to you, he had to give it up.

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:25pm

Killme00 wrote: »

Is there an ideal balance between the following when it comes to mma
a) strength and cardio

I don't think they're mutaully exclusive. In fact I'd say that much like a Jedi's strength flows from the force, your cardio should flow from your strength. That's a bit abstract...

b) striking and grappling

I think that you're better off being really good at one thing, and pretty good at another. I'm not impressed with a lot of "all rounders" (pomposity there). People aim for a good all round game but because of the level of coaching in Ireland (no offence intended to anyone) what you end up being is a poor boxer, a poor wrestler and poor at BJJ. That being said with the right coaching you could be great at everything, but you'll always have a stronger range due to bodytype, genetics, personality.

Whats the weakest part of your game?

Easy, wrestling!

Whats the hardest part of training for you?

Dividing coaching and training. I think I've struck the balance now even if it means being ignorant on sparring nights.

In terms of your own martial arts career and training, whats your proudest moment?

Well, I put on a pretty big show last year which was a high point. I'm going to be all serious for a second and say that it's not a fight or anything like that it's what a life of being fit, strong and confident has given me. I'm a little bit scared of spiders but that's it. Other than that there's not too many situations I face in life that can possibly be worse than climbing into a ring to get punched in the face.

In terms of coaching, what is your proudest moment?

Seeing a young ginger kid climb into the ring in December. He's everything I want the gym to represent.

Whats the best piece of advise you've ever received?

I've recieved lots of good advice but none sticks out as a one liner.

You train kids, how do you keep your sanity?

Valium.
Seriously I love those kids. There's a few kids in my teenage class who I've had since they were nine and I actually think I'd cry a bit if they left.

If you were a contestant on deal or no deal with four boxes left (€1, €5,€10000 and €75000). If the banker offered you €25000, would you deal or no deal?

In spite of the amount I post in the interweb, I am actually quite busy so have never had the opportunity to enjoy this daytime gameshow. I think I understand though it's like stick or hit right? I always hit on 19 so yeah, I want the €75000 gimme.

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:29pm

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

I don't have a real question but I like to take part, where did the name "Roper" come from?

That's actually a really boring story. I'm sure your imagination can do better than the reality!

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:32pm

Dubdude wrote: »

Roper if you could choose 1 fighter past / present you could step into the ring with who would you choose and why???

Sugar Ray Robinson. I like boxers to be boxers and he was the best of them.

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:37pm

kerinsp wrote: »

Roper, whats your favourite Europe song?

Hmmm, you know, most people would say The Final Countdown, but that's only because they haven't heard or appreciated the magnum opus that was the Album "The Final Countdown". The subtlety of Carrie, the wailing guitar on Danger! The ode to misplacement and genocide that was Cherokee. But overall, if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be the magnificent Ninja Survive.

HA! I saw giant Andy on your back the other night trying to get the RNC. Fair dues to you, he had to give it up.

Some things are just unavoidable and rolling with the odd giant is one of them. I'll be quitting that lark closer to the fight though!

kerinsp · 11-02-2009 3:44pm

if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be the magnificent Ninja Survive

:D:D

Roper · 11-02-2009 3:48pm

You all see? This was a great idea, you just don't get Patrick Bateman style reviews of 80's cockrock in the other 'in the well' threads.

kerinsp · 11-02-2009 3:51pm

You would have loved Judas Priest last night in the point then. Talk about theatrical! Cockrock on a magnificant level. We left early of course....

TKD SC · 11-02-2009 4:18pm

Roper wrote: »

I've had my injury problems, this is actually the longest period I've been training in two years[/moan] but I intend to have a good few fights this year to make up for lost time and then call it a day.

Yes but not often. I did the same as you about two weeks ago and wasn't able to lunge/squat for a day or two but I just subbed in something I could do. I train quite smart, injuries have made it neccessary to do so. These days I only really have 8 or so heavy rounds a week. I don't really roll with giants who want to squeeze my neck anymore and I'll only spar with people I trust.

Hey,

Just to follow up a bit more on the injury side of things.

Is there anything different you've done in the last 2 yrs that have resulted in staying injury free?

Leaving aside the sparring side of things that you answered above, is there anything specific in your strength & conditioning training, flexibility side of things that you believe has helped in keeping those injuries away? Do you find a lot can come down to simply warming up correctly?

Thanks,

Simon

dave80 · 11-02-2009 4:47pm

Roper,

Wats you 1RM on the big 3?

ali.c · 11-02-2009 5:24pm

I think I recall you having said before that to benifit from HIIT you reckon the person needs to have a pretty decent level of fitness I think you said 5km run in around 25 mins. Was a while ago so I may have got it wrong, just wondering why? and what do you think a good fitness base is?

pacquiao · 11-02-2009 5:26pm

Hi Roper. You said you like boxing. Concerning boxing, which type of fighter are you?

Boxer/Out-fighter
Boxer/Puncher
Brawler/Slugger
Swarmers/In-fighter

WolfForager · 11-02-2009 6:31pm

What's you honest to god opinon of TKD? (ITF not WTF).

Mikel · 11-02-2009 8:19pm

Who's been your best coach and why?

Which element of mma do you find students struggle most with?

Mikel · 11-02-2009 8:40pm

Roper wrote: »

That's actually a really boring story. I'm sure your imagination can do better than the reality!

Does it involve your tenant pretending to be gay so he can live with two birds with hilarious consequences?

Roper · 11-02-2009 8:46pm

Will try to tackle a few of these now. I'll get to them.

TKD SC wrote: »

Hey,

Just to follow up a bit more on the injury side of things.

Is there anything different you've done in the last 2 yrs that have resulted in staying injury free?

Leaving aside the sparring side of things that you answered above, is there anything specific in your strength & conditioning training, flexibility side of things that you believe has helped in keeping those injuries away? Do you find a lot can come down to simply warming up correctly?

Thanks,

Simon

Good and proper warm ups have definitely been a part of it. My problem used to be that I would be talking to someone, introducing a newbie to the gym or talking to someone about their class or whatever and then jump straight in after only a couple of minutes movement. These days nobody disturbs my warm up!

Mobility warm ups and dynamic work before training has really helped my general well being, and since working with Will Heffernan I do pull aparts, dislocates, scap ups etc. for my back before each session even if I'm not lifting.

Roper · 11-02-2009 8:49pm

dave80 wrote: »

Roper,

Wats you 1RM on the big 3?

Deadlift 160kg @80kgs
Squat 140kg @85kg
Bench 90kg @85kgs

The bench and squat are from about a year and a half ago, but I haven't benched much since then and don't really bother with it due to some issues. I missed bodyweight about 3 months ago though on account of that.

Roper · 11-02-2009 8:50pm

pacquiao wrote: »

Hi Roper. You said you like boxing. Concerning boxing, which type of fighter are you?

Boxer/Out-fighter
Boxer/Puncher
Brawler/Slugger
Swarmers/In-fighter

I'm not really a boxer so none of the above!

Roper · 11-02-2009 10:57pm

ali.c wrote: »

I think I recall you having said before that to benifit from HIIT you reckon the person needs to have a pretty decent level of fitness I think you said 5km run in around 25 mins. Was a while ago so I may have got it wrong, just wondering why? and what do you think a good fitness base is?

I think I pulled that figure of 5k in 25 out of my arse but it would be just an example of having a reasonable aerobic base before attempting some kind of intense exercise programme. A few reasons. Firstly I don't think most people who do HIIT are actually doing HIIT, as they either don't understand it and if they do understand it and don't have some kind of general aerobic fitness already, then they're too out of shape to actually do it to any effect.

Roper · 11-02-2009 10:58pm

WolfForager wrote: »

What's you honest to god opinon of TKD? (ITF not WTF).

It's good as long as it understands it's tkd.

Roper · 11-02-2009 11:01pm

Mikel wrote: »

Who's been your best coach and why?

I dunno. I've had a few and I have to say I've got something from every one of them. I spent a long time at www.combatsportsireland.net and that was the best time I've had training because it was good and tough and great fun with a great bunch of lads together at the time. My schedule won't allow me to train there anymore but I keep in touch with some of the lads through the Irish scene and if I closed my gym tomorrow I'd go back.

Which element of mma do you find students struggle most with?

The ground. Everyone wants to be Anderson Silva and knock people out and very few people have the patience to actually study, and to learn BJJ is like studying.

Roper · 11-02-2009 11:03pm

Mikel wrote: »

Does it involve your tenant pretending to be gay so he can live with two birds with hilarious consequences?

That's not it but people have said it before. I actually never watched that show but I can guarantee if I had, I wouldn't have picked this name

.

brianthebard · 11-02-2009 11:07pm

What sort of necesary training do you really hate to do roper? Do you still do it or skip it as much as possible? ( lift, version of cardio, whatever)

eta: do you like lifting as an end in itself or do you just do it for your sport?

Roper · 11-02-2009 11:13pm

brianthebard wrote: »

What sort of necesary training do you really hate to do roper? Do you still do it or skip it as much as possible? ( lift, version of cardio, whatever)

Since I manage a lot of my own training, if I allowed myself to skip something I think the rot would set in

.

I do hate conditioning, who in their right mind would like it? But I like it when it's over and the hard work has been done. Doing strength sessions actually bores me a bit so I'd want to skip those for that reason rather than them being hard. But that's why I've put that part of my training in someone elses hands.

Nothingcompares · 12-02-2009 1:57am

Barry

Thanks for taking the time to respond to queries.

Who in your opinion is pound for pound the best fighter in MMA?
Who in your opinion is pound for pound the best fighter in Irish MMA?
What's your favourite colour?

Roper · 12-02-2009 4:27pm

Nothingcompares wrote: »

Who in your opinion is pound for pound the best fighter in MMA?

GSP

Who in your opinion is pound for pound the best fighter in Irish MMA?

It's really hard to pick. There's a few really talented guys but off the top of my head and subject to change at any time... Steve McCombe, Owen Roddy and you can't argue with Emmet McNally's record even though he probably doesn't pop up on many people's radars.

What's your favourite colour?

eehhhh....TWELVE!

Hail 2 Da Chimp · 12-02-2009 5:16pm

How hard do you spar (boxing / striking)?

I've always wondered what other people's clubs are like, I've been in clubs where it full on all the time, every time you spar and clubs where it's always about 50-70% contact but never full on.

So where would you fall in that category, (if that question makes sense)?

hooplah · 12-02-2009 5:22pm

Roper wrote: »

Creatine doesn't add weight, calories add weight and although there is some water retention, I think it's manageable as long as it doesn't affect weigh ins. I just think it's good for recovery. As you can see above I do a lot of sessions and there's only really two factors I have to think about, rest and recovery.

Could you expand on why you take the supplements you do take, why you started and how you take them?

(I'm taking whey at the moment and am thinking about taking the other two Khannie mentioned).

Khannie · 12-02-2009 6:04pm

I'll add to the last question: You said you take creatine for recovery and....

Roper wrote:

and although there is some water retention, I think it's manageable as long as it doesn't affect weigh ins

I was told I should expect to put on 1KG because of this "water retention" effect. That's a lot when you're talking about weigh ins, especially at lower weights, so I've never gone near the stuff. What's your own experience with the associated weight gain? Do you stop taking it closer to weigh ins?

BobbyOLeary · 12-02-2009 8:39pm

Barry, as a coach, how do you structure a fighter's weight loss coming up to a fight? If you don't want to answer (coach's secrets and all that) thats cool.

Roper · 13-02-2009 12:11am

Hail 2 Da Chimp wrote: »

How hard do you spar (boxing / striking)?

I've always wondered what other people's clubs are like, I've been in clubs where it full on all the time, every time you spar and clubs where it's always about 50-70% contact but never full on.

So where would you fall in that category, (if that question makes sense)?

It makes perfect sense and I know what you mean.

I do about 5 or 6 really hard stand-up rounds a week. I suppose we're talking maybe 80-90% rounds although what's in a figure? Big shin pads, big gloves, I don't use a headguard much because I'm thick already but also because I find they inhibit the sparring too much. Anyway, if you can't trust your training partner not to knock you out, who can you trust?:pac: I'd only ever do this with one of about 4 guys and what they've got in common is that they can kick my ass!

From a coaching standpoint, most of the time though sparring is light to medium. I'm always looking for movement and application of technique from my lads and lassies so getting them to go 100% would just be idiotic as the adrenaline would kick in and technique would go out the window.

Roper · 13-02-2009 12:17am

hooplah wrote: »

Could you expand on why you take the supplements you do take, why you started and how you take them?

(I'm taking whey at the moment and am thinking about taking the other two Khannie mentioned).

I hate taking supplements but I don't have the capacity to recover between daily sessions. If I wasn't to supplement I would have really low quality training for the next session so that's the why of your question covered I think.

What:
Whey (morning)
XXX Creatine/Glutamine/Argenine sp? (post training)
RAM sometimes pre-training if I've had a low carb type day.

But the important bit is that my diet is as close to the edge of 100% as I can get it without being Melvin Udall. Otherwise I wouldn't bother taking a single shake. When I'm finished heavy trainign periods, I eat pizza, chinese and cakes... lotsa cakes but I wouldn't go near a supplement while I was doing that. That would be stupid.

Roper · 13-02-2009 12:20am

Khannie wrote: »

I'll add to the last question: You said you take creatine for recovery and....

I was told I should expect to put on 1KG because of this "water retention" effect. That's a lot when you're talking about weigh ins, especially at lower weights, so I've never gone near the stuff. What's your own experience with the associated weight gain? Do you stop taking it closer to weigh ins?

I've only ever struggled to make weight once and that was when I was taking creatine and had to sit in my coaches car in a plastic bag for an hour and half with the heater on. I've had a prejudicial view of it ever since but I think most of that was due to bad planning on my part. I think with good planning anything can be done. The 1kg figure sounds about right but I think everyone is different and it might be case of suck it and see for you. Obviously don't experiment if you need to cut weight soon though!

Roper · 13-02-2009 12:31am

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

Barry, as a coach, how do you structure a fighter's weight loss coming up to a fight? If you don't want to answer (coach's secrets and all that) thats cool.

No there's no secrets really. The real and very dull answer (I give a lot of these) is "it depends". Everyone is different and everyone responds radically differently to stimuli. I don't really like to see people cutting too much water I just think that there's so much better things to be worrying about than your weight so I get them to diet down and maybe cut a couple of kilos in water the night before.

Really with mst guys who come and say "aw it's not coming off" I just get them to send me their diet and usually the reason it's not coming off is because they're not the sharpest tools in the box and there's something in their diet that's just plain wrong.

I do have one ultra secret thing for fat burning that I couldn't possibly reveal though.*

*it turns out that if you put less calories in than you burn, you'll lose weight! Nah just kidding I have some real secrets too.

BobbyOLeary · 13-02-2009 12:38am

Thanks for that Barry, another quick question if you don't mind:

How do you carry off thinning hairlines so successfully?

Roper · 13-02-2009 12:43am

BobbyOLeary wrote: »

Thanks for that Barry, another quick question if you don't mind:

How do you carry off thinning hairlines so successfully?

I'm glad you asked that question Bobby. Many view the thinning head of hair as a handicap. After all, name a famous thin haired man? Struggling? I thought you might, but how about Ireland full-back Girvan Dempsey? Or former soccer captain Kenny Cunningham? The list of moderately successful people goes on and on...

BobbyOLeary · 13-02-2009 1:41am

A quick one before I go to bed. I'm interested in growing a beard, seeing as you have magnificent facial hair Barry, any tips?

Clive · 13-02-2009 1:50am

Barry,

Loki has put a curse on you - you'll either lose all the hair on your head or all the hair on your face.

Thor, angered by this has responded by blessing you, so that the hair you keep shall always be thick, full-bodied and manageable.

So which do you choose:
A) A full head of luxuriant Norse hair, but the beardless face of a maiden?
or

A mighty Viking beard, springing forth at will, but a head as bare as the Scandinavian frozen wastes?

Roper - you're in the well

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